Car-coupling



(No Model.)

J. BRADFORD. GAR COUPLING.

No. 487,243. Patented Dec. 6,1892.

l U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN BRADFORD, OF MAROELLINE, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,243, dated December 6, 1892.

Serial No. 441,9 l7. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOHN BRADFORD, a ci I izen of the United States, residing at Marcelline, in the county of Adams and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Oar- Ooupling, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car-couplings.

The objectof the present invention is to simplify and improve the construction of car couplings and to provide one capable of automatically coupling and adapted to be readily arranged for shifting.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a car-coupling constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, the parts being in position preparatory to coupling.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a draw-head having a horizontal opening, in which is arranged a springactuated pin-support 2, adapted to hold a pin in an elevated position preparatory to coupling and to be moved rearwardly by the link of an approaching car to allow a coupling-pin 3 to fall and engage the link. The couplingpin 3 is adapted to fall and is arranged when coupled in a perforation 4E, and is maintained in a vertical position preparatory to coupling by an upwardly and forwardly extending supporting-arm 5, which has its lower rear end 6 pivotally secured above the draw-head and which is provided in its upper outer end with a pin-opening 7 to receive the pin to hold the same in an approximately-vertical position. The pin-support 2 is held forward by a spring 8, which is adapted to be compressed to allow the coupling-pin to drop; but in shifting when it is not desired to couple a car the coupling-pin is held against dropping by a pivoted plate 10, which is arranged on the upper face of the draw-head. The plate 10 is pivoted near its rear end at one side thereof, and is provided at its outer or front end with a pin-opening 11, which when the plate is arranged as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is disposed in advance of the coupling-pin perforation of the draw-head, so that the draw-head will form a bottom for the opening 11. This construction provides a socket to receive the lower end of the coupling-pin when the latter is supported upon the d raw-head and when itis not desired to couple the cars, and the coupling-pin is thereby prevented from being thrown from the draw-head by the jars incident to shifting.

The pin-holding arm by being pivoted at its lower inner end is adapted to be turned to one side, so that the coupling-pin may be readily withdrawn from the draw-head for uncoupling. The couplingpin is provided with a head 13, which is greater in size than the coupling-pin perforation of the draw-head, so that the pin will not fall through the drawhead when cars are coupled.

It will be seen that the car-coupling is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it is capable of enabling cars to be automatically coupled without necessitating a person going between them, and that the coupling-pin may be held above the drawhead to prevent coupling when cars are being shifted. I

What I claim is- 1. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head, aplate pivotally mounted on the draw-head and provided with a pin-receiving socket-opening, a pin-holding arm adapted to be swung to one side and extending upward and forward and having its upper end arranged over the pivoted plate and provided with a pin-opening, and a coupling-pin supported above the draw-head and having its lower end arranged in the socket-opening of the plate and its upper end arranged in the opening of the arm, substantiallyas described.

2. The combination of a draw-head having a coupling-pin perforation, a spring-actuated pin-support arranged within the drawhead, a plate pivoted to the draw-head and arranged "on-the upper face of the same and myown -l hare hereto affixed my signature in provided with a, socket-opening, and a pinthepresence of two Witnesses.

supportin arm havin its lower end pivoted and havinig" its upper End arranged over said JOHN BRADFORD plate and provided with a pin-opening, sub- Witnesses:

stantially as described. C. BULSTIUM MARTH,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as J. R. PEARCE. 

